I can only assume my doctor is going to try and diagnose M.E. as suggested last week, instead of hypothyroid (which runs heavily in my family) So I am looking for some obvious differences to quote back to her tomorrow if this should be the case. I can see thinning eyebrows and eyelashes as one, along with hair coming out, but a lot appear to cross over. Any ideas?
Thanks . x
Hello, The problem often is that any symptoms that they cannot put in the ME pot they will attribute to you having some other disorder e.g. depression, migraines etc. I'm not sure what your symptoms are or if you are on any thyroid replacement. If not your GP MIGHT agree to you having a trial of thyroxine.
Is there anything on this link that would help with your preparation?
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...
Failing that could you try a new GP or see one of Thyroid UK's recommended doctors?
Jane x
Hi Jane, firstly thank you for the advice x
I am on no treatment of any kind at present, the chance would be a fine thing 
My results from blue horizon two weeks ago were
THYROID PROFILE 2
TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) 97 nmol/L 59 - 154
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 2.59 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.2
FREE THYROXINE 13.7 pmol/l 12.0 - 22.0
FREE T3 4.0 pmol/L 3.1 - 6.8
Although not drastically bad, they show low ranges of Free thyroxine and T3, also total Thyroxine isnt brilliant.
I have family history of thyroid problems, my mum, some of her sisters and some of my female cousins.
Symptoms are...... there are loads so you will probably fall asleep reading this post
Extreme Tiredness/ lack of energy/ struggle to get out of bed, drowsy through day/ sleep on sofa
Steady weight gain, diet not productive.
Dry skin, repeat periods of extreme itching/ patches of eczema
Very dry eyes, gritty sore. Using hyper mellose and other remedies.
Itchy scalp.
Hair coarse and brittle/ dull
Eyes- often reported high pressures at optician appointments.
Sun allergy since teens, worsening, itching of any part of exposed skin becoming more severe.
Sunlight makes eyes stream also hurts to go out without sunglasses.
Constipation, regular phases of 4-5 days without going to the toilet, use senna regularly.
Period changes, since 2004 extremely heavy, flooding, clots, 2011/12 changed, much lighter, but spotting longer.
Feeling very cold all over, heating on when others are very warm, lots of layers, sat against radiator in the evening, not wanting to remove coat when home until after tea (warm for a brief period after eating)
Cold hands and feet
Bloating of stomach, getting better since taking probiotics
Headaches increased over last few months, tension, sometimes with aura. More around period .
Very dry mouth, concerned about breath. Mouthwash 2/3 times a day.
Tongue doesn’t feel like it fits in my mouth,
Mouth sores/ ulcers intermittent
Arms ache after minimal activity, eg, shoulder bag , drying hair
Headache or dizzy feelings if on feet a long while, feel quite ill when out shopping or standing in a bar or watching something.
Poor memory (short term) embarrassing at work.
Loss of libido
PMS moods, breasts extremely tender
Aching joints, lower back
Ears constantly feel like they have infection, itch so much.
Whistling/ whooshing sound in ears
Hunger cravings, salt, bread, potatoes.
Zero tolerance to alcohol, feel drunk after few glasses, progressed to headache shortly after first drink and hangover next day after just one glass.
So I took a copy of the thyroid levels info sheet from this site that shows Tsh above 2, combined with low level T3/ T4 is enough to cause hypothyroid symptoms, and my doctor said this didnt represent me, wasnt relevant because if my t3 t4 were low enough to cause me problems then my TSH would be high, AND 2.5 is PERFECTLY FINE. This was when he centred on the possibility of M.E
This was the point I realised that i would get nowhere with him.
However he took loads of bloods including the ever helpful TSH (not the other necessary thyroid ones) and I go back tomorrow for results.
Hence desperation to prove its not bloody ME lol
Banging my head me thinks! xx
ME and CFS were only named a number of years after the TSH blood test came into use.
This is how Dr Skinner became involved with thyroid gland problems as he is a virologist.
worldthyroidregister.com/Go...
How can there be any differences? All symptoms are hypo. No, I don't mean that the way it sounds. The point is, thyroid hormone is needed by every single cell in the body to work correctly. If you don't have enough thyroid hormone then you are going to have possible problems everywhere in the body, therefore every single little ache and pain you have could be - and probably is - due to hypo. And there is no way on this earth that your doctor can prove otherwise.
Of course, all hypo symptoms 'could be' something else. But when you have a decent number of them, it's more logical to think that you have one illness with lots of symptoms rather than thirty diseases all with one symptom.
As I've just written in another post, ms/cfs/fibro are just excuses for not treating the thyroid - or not treating it correctly. M.E./cfs/fibro symptoms are the symptoms left over after you've taken you T4. It hasn't corrected all your symptoms but your TSH is 'in range'. Therefore, if we follow doctor-logic, 'it can't be your thyroid'. Therefore we have had to 'invent' some new 'diseases' to account for these left-over symptoms. Oh, let's call them... I don't know... how about M.E.? Or CFS? Or how about Fibromyalgia? That sounds good. Makes you think you've really got something serious wrong with you!
Sorry if anybody finds that offensive, the offense was only intended for the medical profession! lol
But seriously, if there's hypo in your family then the odds are that you have it too, and not some made-up 'disease'.
I do hope all goes well for you at the doctors and that you stand your ground, because the main difference between m.e. and hypo is that hypo is treatable, m.e. isn't.
Hugs, Grey
Ha ha, this made me laugh, irony helps sometimes doesn't it. Its disguisting how we are manipulated by the medical profession, anything to save money on meds, and keep us purchasing all of our sticking plaster treatments to aid our very obviously ailing bodies, all in the name of consumerism and an easy buck for the huge pharmaceutical giants, really makes me angry.
Will no doubt report back with lots of angst tomorrow Grey, thank you for making me smile
Comparing Menopause and Hypothyroid symptoms
Symptoms of both hyper and hypothyroid 
Any connection between Hypothyroidism and Heart problems
Is there any link between T3 and raised blood pressure?
Is there a link between hypothyroid and cholesterol. Should I succumb to taking statins?
